A place to call home
by KeyPea
Summary: Marcus/Esca slash. Marcus helps Esca find somewhere he can call home.


"Thankyou for returning with me, Esca. It was a very noble thing to do." Marcus lowered his eyes as the sun burnt down on the pair standing in Uncle Aquila's courtyard. "You're a free man." The words made Marcus's chest ache even as he spoke them, and Esca picked this up from the tone of his voice, but Marcus avoided his eyes and began to tread wearily across the yard.

Esca watched his retreating back and suddenly shouted after him, "I came back for you!" Marcus flinched as if it were a physical blow but he didn't stop walking, not wanting anyone to see the devastation etched upon his usually unreadable face. Esca shrugged and headed to the stables where he intended to make himself useful in the hope he would be allowed to stay. Since he was no longer Marcus's slave, it was unlikely he would be kept for nothing.

The saddlebags from their journey home were still in the stable, needing to be put away. "Home." Esca whispered to himself, tasting the unfamiliar word as he licked his lips. He'd never had a proper home, but he desperately hoped he'd find one here, close to his former master.  
>Marcus had wanted to return the eagle as soon as possible, but even Esca admitted that their reaction hadn't been what he had expected. I think they had expected that Marcus would never return, let alone with his previous slave. At first Esca <em>had<em> wanted to cut Marcus's throat. It was true, he had hated everything Marcus had stood for, but it was impossible for him to hate Marcus now.

He emptied one of the bags and found Marcus's ring at the bottom of it. Esca studied it carefully, having not had a close look at it before. It was rather beautiful, with a flawless jade stone set into the metal. He decided he would return it to his friend and slipped it into his pocket.  
>"Friend." Esca whispered to himself again. Was he Marcus's friend? He'd fought alongside him and returned to save his life even though he'd been granted his freedom. Yes, Esca decided. He'd quite like to be Marcus's friend.<p>

**OOO**

Marcus himself was shut away in his dusty room, laying on his narrow bed, facing the wall. He was lost in his memory, waiting for death. Marcus could have sworn he felt every raindrop like ice on his skin again, the cold eagle in his arms and the ache in his leg. He curled up tightly and desperately hoped that Esca would return for him, as promised.  
>He felt a hand on his shoulder and rolled over, mumbling his friend's name.<p>

"Are you coming to the evening meal?" Uncle Aquila asked.

"Uncle? Evening already? I must have fallen asleep." Marcus said, sitting up and putting his head in his hands.

"Perhaps we ought to get you a new slave." His uncle said. "You don't seem to be doing so well without your other."

"Esca deserved his freedom." Marcus replied automatically. "I don't need another slave. I might not stay long anyway. It's clear I don't belong here anymore."

"Come along if you're feeling up to it, then," Uncle Aquila patted Marcus's shoulder awkwardly, not sure what to say about his little outburst. He left quickly.

**OOO**

Esca watched from the shadows as Marcus's uncle left the room. He felt the ring in his pocket and headed for the door. He called Marcus's name as he knocked.  
>"Esca? Is that you?" Came the reply. Esca chose to take this as an invitation and stepped inside. Marcus was hastily shoving clothing into a bag, and looked up guiltily when his friend entered.<p>

"Where are you going, Marcus?" Esca's voice was drained of warmth as an uncomfortable lump rose in his throat. Marcus didn't answer his question, instead posing one of his own. "What do you want?"

"I found your ring." Esca crossed the room in a few quick strides and gripped Marcus's arm. He froze, and looked straight into Esca's eyes as he dropped the ring into his hand.

"If you're running away, I'm coming with you." Esca told him firmly. Marcus sank down onto his bed, defeated. "I told you, you're a free man now." He said weakly.

"Can't a free man travel with his friend?" Esca asked simply. He hesitated, then reached out and touched Marcus's hand with his own. He said quietly, "please don't leave me."

Marcus looked up into Esca's eyes again and could see nothing but the truth in his words. "Alright," he said finally. "I'm leaving at dawn. Get whatever you need ready. I'm not coming back."

To seal the deal, Marcus lifted Esca's hand to his lips and gently kissed it.

**OOO**

Esca had two horses ready and had stolen a week's supply of food by the time Marcus entered the stable. "Don't you have a cloak?" Marcus murmured as he adjusted his horse's saddle. Esca's bag was very small. He shook his head. "No. My other one was beyond repair."  
>"You'll freeze!" Marcus said, rummaging around inside his own bags. He brought out a thick grey coat of his own. "We travel as equals now," he said, draping the material around Esca's shoulders. He paused as he was buttoning it up. "I cannot wait until we are away from here and on the road again," he said.<br>"Thankyou Marcus." Esca gestured to his new cloak, but Marcus knew he was thanking him for a whole lot more.

As they headed out into the countryside, Esca asked, "where are we going?"

"You decide." Marcus replied, a smile spreading across his lips for the first time since they had returned to Uncle Aquila's villa. "It was courageous of you to come with me, without knowing where I was headed." He smiled at Esca, who looked very handsome in his cloak. It was slightly too big for him as Marcus was bigger, but it would keep him warm.

"Where would you live, Esca?"

"A house in the countryside." He said finally. "Near a forest. Perhaps with a small river or a stream. Somewhere to call home."

"Is there room in this fabulous place for me?" Marcus joked, but grew more serious when Esca replied quietly, "I'd like that."

They slowed their horses as they passed through a small village, which had started to come alive as dawn rolled into day. No-one paid any attention to them as they trotted through.  
>They walked the horses most of the afternoon to give them a rest, until Marcus's injured leg shook and gave way under him. Esca immediately rushed to his side.<p>

"I can't walk anymore." Marcus said bitterly.

"We'll stop and make camp then. Night is closing in anyway." Esca helped Marcus to the edge of a small copse of trees and unhitched the bags. "I'll get something to make a fire." He disappeared into the trees. Marcus spread out the blankets they had brought as best as he could without moving too far.

"I'd hoped my leg would have healed properly by now." Marcus told Esca as the flames slowly started licking around the wood.

"We did a lot of walking today, to spare the horses. Don't worry about it."

"I feel so weak though." Marcus insisted.

"You are not weak, Marcus." Esca told him firmly. "You've got a fighting spirit. I admire that in anyone."

"So do you." Marcus replied. "It's why I saved you."

"But I wouldn't fight." Esca said.

"I know, but you faced death instead of running away. That is far more admirable." They regarded each other for a moment.

"When those tribesmen had you…" Esca ventured, but Marcus cut him off.

"I thought I'd lost you." Marcus repeated. He reached out to Esca and captured his hand. They sat like that for a long time, until the tension was too much to bear.

"Do you trust me?" Esca asked, crawling forwards. Marcus didn't answer, just closed his eyes and waited. Esca's hand crept up his arm and then around his back. He was so close Marcus could feel his warm breath on his cheek. Marcus reached out again and found Esca's face. He tugged it gently closer, and allowed their lips to meet.  
>Esca's lips were soft and full, and Marcus explored his mouth fully with his tongue, feeling Esca do the same to him. Their kiss was long and thorough, and both of them felt the tensions of the day melt away. When they broke apart Esca was the first to crack, a smile splitting his features and a hint of laughter escaping his lips. He kissed Marcus's cheek and shakily rolled away, laying on top of one of the blankets.<br>Marcus sighed contentedly and lay down next to the fire.

"Come here, Esca." He said, patting the space beside him. "You'll be closer to the fire."

"Closer to you, you mean." Esca replied, but he crawled over and lay down next to Marcus, who enveloped him inside his strong arms and flipped a blanket over them both.

"Tomorrow, I shall taste every inch of you before the night has ended." Esca murmured sleepily, and Marcus squeezed his skinny body gently.  
>"I can't wait."<p>

**OOO**

They packed away quickly the next morning and left without eating anything, last night's kiss just a distant memory, the sunlight making it difficult to think about. Marcus's hand lingered for a moment on Esca's as they packed up their horses but nothing else passed between the pair.  
>They travelled across the country this time, tired of the beaten track. The weak sun gave way to torrential rain but they pressed on regardless, since they had nowhere to shelter anyway. A quiet morning gave way to gloomy afternoon. Esca rode his horse glumly, his spark washed away with the rain.<br>When the pair came to a stream they followed it, gradually realising the day was not going to get brighter. The rain let up slightly as the horses picked their way through the long grasses next to the stream, and Marcus looked up, pulling his horse abruptly to a halt.

"Esca," he gasped, "it's our house!"

Indeed there was a house similar to the one Esca had described earlier. It was quite clearly abandoned, and had been that way for some time. The gradually setting sun revealed broken windows and trailing weeds that climbed over every inch of the house.

"There's a stable." Esca said quietly, and the pair both thought the same thing- they would stay for the night.

They slipped off their horses and led them to the run-down stable. Esca threw the bags to Marcus. "Try and find something to build a fire, there's bound to be a fireplace in there somewhere."

Marcus nodded and headed for the house. The back door opened with a swift kick. The kitchen area was a mess, years of dirt from outside accumulating on every surface and an icy chill blowing though the broken window. Marcus made his way through to the back of the house, where a solid wooden door separated him from the final room.

He opened the door and found himself in a bedroom, the only room in the house that hadn't suffered broken windows or the resulting dirt. A large bed frame faced an open fireplace, where, mercifully, a dry basket of wood stood waiting. Marcus lit the fire and the slight chill in the room lifted. He took out the blankets from the bags and threw them over the bed. Out of the small window he saw Esca walking determinedly across the overgrown courtyard and an ache consumed him.  
>He stripped off his wet tunic just as Esca entered the bedroom and heard a sharp intake of breath. He shut the door firmly behind him and gazed at Marcus, lust evident in his eyes.<p>

As Marcus watched, Esca stripped off his own tunic, holding his stare. Marcus stepped forwards and held out his hand. Esca didn't need telling twice, crossing the room in just a few strides and capturing Marcus's lips with his own. Their hands roamed all over each other as their kiss deepened. Esca's tongue was soft and gentle on Marcus's; Marcus had rough lips from their days spent on the road.  
>After what seemed like an eternity, Marcus tugged Esca over to the bed and they lay on it together. He placed a hand on Esca's chest to hold him in place as he tore off the rest of his clothes, freeing his already hard cock. Marcus clawed at his own clothes in desperation until he was naked and then sank back down onto Esca, claiming him in the most basic way possible.<p>

Marcus ran his hands all over Esca's body and he groaned as Marcus bent forwards to kiss his neck tenderly. He hesitated when his hand found Esca's cock but then he had grasped it and was swiftly moving his fist up and down. Esca lay immobile for a moment as waves of pleasure crashed over him, then he reached up and deftly rolled himself so he was the one on top of Marcus. He used his tongue to explore his way downwards until he found Marcus's own cock and took the tip of him inside his mouth. Marcus let a small gasp escape his lips as Esca tasted him, and he reached down to caress Esca's body again.

Soon Esca tasted Marcus's salty liquids seeping through and took over with his hand, aware that he too was nearing completion. They lay side by side and stroked each other over the edge of the abyss. Esca gasped aloud as his warm juices ran over Marcus's hand, and a heartbeat later he too came, adding his own rich seed to their mixture.

They both lay breathing heavily on the bed for a moment, until Marcus took Esca's face between his hands and kissed him slowly and thoroughly. "I think we both needed that." He breathed, his hands falling back to grasp Esca's.

"It was my first time, being touched by someone." Esca revealed.

"Mine too." Marcus whispered, cuddling Esca closer and trailing a finger down his lover's spine. Esca shivered all over and Marcus threw a blanket over them both.

"Where to tomorrow?" Esca asked him.

"I thought we could stay here," Marcus told him. "Clean up the house, repair the windows. Make a proper home, and live in it together." He said. "Isn't that what you wanted? A place to call home?"

"Marcus," Esca replied, intertwining their fingers again and snuggling closer. "I'm already home."

**OOOOO**


End file.
